Haviste Demi Houbraken discovered her talent: making furniture!

Excelling as a furniture maker and surprising your teachers with your talent. That's Demi Houbraken's story.

In pre-university education (HAVO), Demi Houbraken (21) didn't consciously consider vocational education (MBO) as a next step. For many pre-university students, higher professional education (HBO) feels like the logical next step. She considered psychology, but realized she didn't really want to spend another four years in books. Through a friend, she briefly explored the vocational furniture making program. It was love at first sight. She completed her first year in ten weeks, and this week, the talented youngster qualified for the finals of Skills Heroes, the Dutch student championships for craftsmanship.

"Yes, this is what I want," Demi thought when she started at Summa Wonen & Design. She wanted to design and make furniture. "I was always very creative. Building huts or working indoors with tape and cardboard. I've found my calling. Every day I think: yes, I can do it again."

During her first internship, her supervisors immediately noticed her talent: Demi has it in spades. Her teacher, Patrick Daniëls, also saw it right away. “She’s highly motivated and enthusiastic. She always pushes her limits. That’s why we worked together to find ways to accelerate her progress. It’s a tailored approach, but we knew she could do it. It requires discipline and a proactive work ethic. Passion and energy. Demi embraced that responsibility. I even gave her a perfect 10 for a paper recently.”

Demi proudly shows off her wine cabinet; a real eye-catcher for any living room. Like a consummate craftswoman, she discusses the details, the finishing, the choice of materials, and the meticulous precision. "This was my first major project and it will always hold a special place in my life." One day, she hopes to focus on designing, but for the first few years of her career, Demi wants to primarily make furniture herself. "If you put in the hours, it will help you with your design later on. How do things fit together? I'm thinking about it all day long."

Teachers asked Demi to participate in the prestigious Skills Heroes competition. “I'm honored by the school's trust. The preliminary round in Rotterdam was last week. It was quite nerve-wracking, with all those cameras and judges. But I was very focused. I made a wooden desk. Then, on my birthday, I got the good news: I'll be going to the finals in 's-Hertogenbosch in March. Who knows, maybe I'll even get to go to the World Championships in Shanghai, doing the work I love most!”

For young people who still have to make a decision, Demi has some clear advice: "What did you enjoy when you were younger? What were you good at back then? Follow your passion, even if it's not obvious. For me, everything finally fell into place. At vocational college."